Need some advice on cleaning statues

[DarkKnight85]

Hey everyone,


So I'm looking for any advice from people who might have some ideas or are knowledgeable about this situation. I've done what I could to look through some forums here in the past, and did get some ideas but thought it would be beneficial to maybe get some more input.

So a few years ago unfortunately there was a mold situation in my old apartment. Unfortunately there were some long term health concerns as well that took me a couple of years to get under control that was related to the situation. My statue collection was in an adjacent room to where the actual mold infestation was. So the collection wasn't in the middle of it, but it was close to that room. I did though at the time pack everything up and keep it in storage. I did inspect everything at that time and there were no known mold growths on any of the statues. I did pack them up in their original boxes, and all those boxes were in a different adjacent room to the room found with the mold. In hindsight, I probably should have just tossed all those boxes and used fresh ones, but that's too late now.

Anyways, I'm at the point where I where I have a new place but want to slowly start the process of taking them out of storage one by one, inspect and clean them, and then hopefully get them on new shelving to displays. I really didn't want to part with the collection. I actually think I've overkilled this situation with a little paranoia and perhaps a few simple techniques to clean them would suffice. I mean I have a bunch of ideas like using Leaf blowers, vacuums, microfiber cloths, eye glass cleaner cloths, Absorene, makeup brushes, etc. These are all ideas or things I've stumbled across, but am not sure on what order or what other ideas I should do. I do know some people have mentioned before to use maybe a little soapy water, or a mixture of a little vinegar with mostly water. I want to be careful with the paints though. I mostly have 1:4 statues, with some 1:3, and a few statue busts. Two of those busts were the only statues in the actual room with the mold though, everything else was not. I have already inspected a lot of them recently, and as expected there isn't anything growing on any of the statues I've opened up and looked at.

Part of me is almost wondering if they just need to be wiped down, but then I've read that can just spread mold spores around, so I don't know. I'm willing to bet that is the only concern right now. Is that the statues just have dormant spores on the surface of them. I mean Ideally, once they are cleaned it would be nice to get them behind glass, but I'll have to see if I have the extra money to do so. I'm looking into shelving ideas at the moment too. I mostly had Bestas before for my shelving.

I do plan on having a good air purifier in the room wherever, and however I set them up. I also plan to swab them after I clean them and send the swabs out to see if they are picking up any mold after they are cleaned. So I feel I have some good steps in mind. I'm worried about how to start though, and don't want to destroy the statues in the process, since I've never really done anything like this before. So if anyone has some advice let me know. I know I've read on some sites to possibly call up a conservation studio. I haven't done so yet, but it's another idea as well. I'm sure they work on much bigger projects, but they also could have some good ideas.

 

[dondiegomasked]

Hey everyone,


So I'm looking for any advice from people who might have some ideas or are knowledgeable about this situation. I've done what I could to look through some forums here in the past, and did get some ideas but thought it would be beneficial to maybe get some more input.

So a few years ago unfortunately there was a mold situation in my old apartment. Unfortunately there were some long term health concerns as well that took me a couple of years to get under control that was related to the situation. My statue collection was in an adjacent room to where the actual mold infestation was. So the collection wasn't in the middle of it, but it was close to that room. I did though at the time pack everything up and keep it in storage. I did inspect everything at that time and there were no known mold growths on any of the statues. I did pack them up in their original boxes, and all those boxes were in a different adjacent room to the room found with the mold. In hindsight, I probably should have just tossed all those boxes and used fresh ones, but that's too late now.

Anyways, I'm at the point where I where I have a new place but want to slowly start the process of taking them out of storage one by one, inspect and clean them, and then hopefully get them on new shelving to displays. I really didn't want to part with the collection. I actually think I've overkilled this situation with a little paranoia and perhaps a few simple techniques to clean them would suffice. I mean I have a bunch of ideas like using Leaf blowers, vacuums, microfiber cloths, eye glass cleaner cloths, Absorene, makeup brushes, etc. These are all ideas or things I've stumbled across, but am not sure on what order or what other ideas I should do. I do know some people have mentioned before to use maybe a little soapy water, or a mixture of a little vinegar with mostly water. I want to be careful with the paints though. I mostly have 1:4 statues, with some 1:3, and a few statue busts. Two of those busts were the only statues in the actual room with the mold though, everything else was not. I have already inspected a lot of them recently, and as expected there isn't anything growing on any of the statues I've opened up and looked at.

Part of me is almost wondering if they just need to be wiped down, but then I've read that can just spread mold spores around, so I don't know. I'm willing to bet that is the only concern right now. Is that the statues just have dormant spores on the surface of them. I mean Ideally, once they are cleaned it would be nice to get them behind glass, but I'll have to see if I have the extra money to do so. I'm looking into shelving ideas at the moment too. I mostly had Bestas before for my shelving.

I do plan on having a good air purifier in the room wherever, and however I set them up. I also plan to swab them after I clean them and send the swabs out to see if they are picking up any mold after they are cleaned. So I feel I have some good steps in mind. I'm worried about how to start though, and don't want to destroy the statues in the process, since I've never really done anything like this before. So if anyone has some advice let me know. I know I've read on some sites to possibly call up a conservation studio. I haven't done so yet, but it's another idea as well. I'm sure they work on much bigger projects, but they also could have some good ideas.

LEAF BLOWERS????? LEAF BLOWERS?????

Wouldn’t that, like, blow over your expensive statues?

Ditch that idea! Get a “keyboard blower” for use cleaning PCs. They have several nozzles for broad or pinpoint airflow and are perfect for dusting off statues. A good portable blower shouldn’t cost more than $40.

As for the mold problem, you need to wipe those statues down with a light solution of water and vinegar. Use about a 10% vinegar mix. Do not use soap! It will only leave a film over everything.

Then use the PC blower to dry em off!

 

[DarkKnight85]

LEAF BLOWERS????? LEAF BLOWERS?????

Wouldn’t that, like, blow over your expensive statues?

Ditch that idea! Get a “keyboard blower” for use cleaning PCs. They have several nozzles for broad or pinpoint airflow and are perfect for dusting off statues. A good portable blower shouldn’t cost more than $40.

As for the mold problem, you need to wipe those statues down with a light solution of water and vinegar. Use about a 10% vinegar mix. Do not use soap! It will only leave a film over everything.

Then use the PC blower to dry em off!

Lol, yea a leaf blower would be overkill I imagine, but it was the idea of using something to kind get any spores off the surface. I'll look into the keyboard blower. I just thought a smaller air blower unit would take a lot of time for a larger statue or bust, and a lot of compressed air for that matter. But I haven't really even seen them before, so I'll look into it.

But that's why I'm here on the forum. I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I know someone a few years ago mentioned, to pick a statue I could easily part with and use that one first to experiment with. So if I got the water, and vinegar route, I guess that's what I'll do. I've heard varying opinions though on the vinegar and some saying it might cause more damage. So I'll see what others think as well.

Also, do you think I should be using a sponge to wipe them down, or like wetting a microfiber cloth with the solution?

 

[dondiegomasked]

Lol, yea a leaf blower would be overkill I imagine, but it was the idea of using something to kind get any spores off the surface. I'll look into the keyboard blower. I just thought a smaller air blower unit would take a lot of time for a larger statue or bust, and a lot of compressed air for that matter. But I haven't really even seen them before, so I'll look into it.

But that's why I'm here on the forum. I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I know someone a few years ago mentioned, to pick a statue I could easily part with and use that one first to experiment with. So if I got the water, and vinegar route, I guess that's what I'll do. I've heard varying opinions though on the vinegar and some saying it might cause more damage. So I'll see what others think as well.

Also, do you think I should be using a sponge to wipe them down, or like wetting a microfiber cloth with the solution?

I just did a quick search on aMuzoom for “pc keyboard blower” and found quite a few. Here’s one that’s a higher rated but still cheap example. $29. The others range from that price to closer to $100. I wouldn’t recommend any specifically because I believe they’d all do the job.

My brother has a 1/3 scale Annie Hathaway Selina Kyle statue. Before I got him a Moducase Sixth98 display case for it, he used to, ahem, really enjoy going over that statue with damp Q-tips! Never use those! They leave cotton fibers!

So I bought him a keyboard blower to use until the Moducase arrived.

Vinegar will kill the spores. But you don’t need a lot of it. That’s why I suggested a 10% solution.

And _always_ use microfiber cloth for wiping statues. Even if you’re only using water to dampen the cloth. But blow all the surfaces off before wiping. Even a damp microfiber cloth can leave scratches if there’s gritty dust on the surface.

Hope this helps!

 

[DarkKnight85]

I just did a quick search on aMuzoom for “pc keyboard blower” and found quite a few. Here’s one that’s a higher rated but still cheap example. $29. The others range from that price to closer to $100. I wouldn’t recommend any specifically because I believe they’d all do the job.

My brother has a 1/3 scale Annie Hathaway Selina Kyle statue. Before I got him a Moducase Sixth98 display case for it, he used to, ahem, really enjoy going over that statue with damp Q-tips! Never use those! They leave cotton fibers!

So I bought him a keyboard blower to use until the Moducase arrived.

Vinegar will kill the spores. But you don’t need a lot of it. That’s why I suggested a 10% solution.

And _always_ use microfiber cloth for wiping statues. Even if you’re only using water to dampen the cloth. But blow all the surfaces off before wiping. Even a damp microfiber cloth can leave scratches if there’s gritty dust on the surface.

Hope this helps!

Hey Dondiegomasked,

Yes these are good ideas! So just to be sure I understand what you think is a good process. It looks like you are suggesting to blow them off first with the keyboard blower, then wipe them down with a damp cloth with the mixed water and vinegar solution, then dry them off with the keyboard blower at the very end? If I'm understanding right, I think that's what you are suggesting.

 

[dondiegomasked]

Hey Dondiegomasked,

Yes these are good ideas! So just to be sure I understand what you think is a good process. It looks like you are suggesting to blow them off first with the keyboard blower, then wipe them down with a damp cloth with the mixed water and vinegar solution, then dry them off with the keyboard blower at the very end? If I'm understanding right, I think that's what you are suggesting.

Sounds right to me!

 

[DarkKnight85]

Sounds right to me!

Thank you Dondiegomasked!

Just curious as well, did you ever have an issue similar to this yourself? Sounds like you knew a thing or two about this. Also, I mean I think it makes sense to do this process outside if I can, that way any spores blow off into the environment rather than inside my place. I know some people also mention leaving statues/collectibles outside to air out in the sun, but I've also heard people warn about the sun damaging/fading the paint on the statues? Just curious if you know anything of that.

 

[dondiegomasked]

Thank you Dondiegomasked!

Just curious as well, did you ever have an issue similar to this yourself? Sounds like you knew a thing or two about this. Also, I mean I think it makes sense to do this process outside if I can, that way any spores blow off into the environment rather than inside my place. I know some people also mention leaving statues/collectibles outside to air out in the sun, but I've also heard people warn about the sun damaging/fading the paint on the statues? Just curious if you know anything of that.

Seventy years of experience, but I couldn’t tell you exactly when and where I experienced those experiences. Let’s just say my mother told me.

I don’t actually own any statues myself. I buy them for my brother and let _him_ worry about where to put them. I just go visit them there. Display space problem averted!

Don’t leave _anything_ sit out in the sun, especially yourself!

 

[DarkKnight85]

Seventy years of experience, but I couldn’t tell you exactly when and where I experienced those experiences. Let’s just say my mother told me.

I don’t actually own any statues myself. I buy them for my brother and let _him_ worry about where to put them. I just go visit them there. Display space problem averted!

Don’t leave _anything_ sit out in the sun, especially yourself!

Fair enough! Funny story about how you collect your statues. Either way thanks once again! I may reach out one more time if anything comes up, but this is a good starting point. Looking at bestas now.

I really wish the PAX units still came in black. But I also wish the prices weren't so jacked up to get the glass windows with them. It almost triples the price...